The present invention relates generally to a deployment system for deploying airfoils such as wings, tails, flaps, fins, canards or aerodynamic surfaces and the like on airborne vehicles from a folded or retracted position into an open, extended position projecting outwardly from the body of the vehicle. Often, the size of airborne bodies must be minimized at launch, for example in case of missiles launched from canisters which must be as small as possible for transportation purposes. Thus, aerodynamic surfaces are commonly folded or retracted at launch.
A wing deploying system using an airbag is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,037 of Unterstein, in which a plurality of Wings are folded or collapsed inwardly through slits into a missile body. The wings are pivoted or slid outwardly by means of a collapsed airbag which is expanded to exert an outward force on the wings, the airbag remaining within the missile body.